Party Line Booty Call
by gwenwifar
Summary: Follows 24 Hours. Lucifer is in Hell temporarily, while Chloe, Amenadiel and Linda look for a way to bring him back home.
1. Chapter 1

Chloe stayed out on the balcony a while, letting the cooling temperatures chill her into a sort of numbness. He'd said time worked differently in Hell. That a few weeks here would be years there. So, it stood to reason that in the time she'd been standing there more than a day had passed in Hell.

She wondered how things were going. How much resistance had he found? Was he at the core of some battle of epic proportions? Had all the demons simply cowered when he arrived? She wanted to reach out to him, but she didn't want to distract him at some critical moment. She should talk to Amenadiel first, anyway. Get more info about this prayer business. She would do that first thing tomorrow.

Having arrived at a sort of productive decision, Chloe went inside, hesitating before closing the balcony door not quite all the way. She remembered for a second one of her favorite movies, and the injunction to never, ever lock windows. Too bad Lucifer wasn't Peter, and Hell wasn't Never Never Land. But still. She'd leave the door unlocked so we'd always know he was welcome.

She got herself a drink and then another. Any second now it was all going to hit her hard. Her partner was in Hell. She trusted he'd be back. He promised and he always kept his word. But it was going to be years for him. Horror filled years. Already she was asking herself how much pain he was in. At least without her there he was mostly safe. She couldn't bow out of work with the Mayan case on her docket, but she would ask Dan to take Trixie for the week. Her daughter didn't need to see her figuring out how to deal with this.

It took another couple of hours, but she eventually made her way to the bed. It still smelled like him. Like them, and what they'd been doing there earlier that day. She reached for the pillow he'd used, held it to her, and the loneliness and the longing rose up as her eyes started to close, as if she'd kept them at bay thus far only by an effort of will. She pressed her face to the pillow, breathed deeply, and for a second the memory had been so clear that she could have sworn she had seen him. His name escaped her lips in an urgent moan, and she dozed off.

oOo

It had taken less than a full Hell day to establish that the King was back. He'd arrived to find the demons squabbling for dominance. He'd made an entrance, using all the resentment in him to fuel his rage. Chloe was likely crying right now, hurting right now, because of them. He was here, in the last place he wanted to be, instead of there, holding her and easing her pain, because they had left him no choice. He was going to make them pay for that.

He had hoped that Dromos and some of the others would come to challenge him, and they did not disappoint. They told themselves that he was soft now. That he couldn't take them all. They were wrong. Bitterly, hopelessly, irreversibly wrong. He let them bluster, avoiding their blows without touching them, allowing the rest of the demons to gather around for the show. And then he finally made his move. Well, 3 moves, really. Angry slashy moves. And when he was done, they were all dead.

He made sure the word went out that he was back, and that he was ready to deal with the traitors without hesitation or mercy. And then he took to what in Hell passed for a sky and watched. He'd seen them scurry into dark corners and gather in obscure pits and when he could detect any trace of a faction reorganizing, he flew in to remind them that he was back. That this was not the happy-fun-time King they might fondly remember from before his extended vacation, but the wrathful-moody-Torturer In Chief whose free will they were holding hostage.

Any trace of insurrection was driven underground before he finally sat on the throne. How long had it been up there? An hour? Had she gone home? Would she pray to him at some point? Maybe he should have brought Maze. He could have sent her in to ferret out anyone who might still be plotting against him. It would be tricky, of course. Maze had always been unfailing loyal and the others knew that. But if she told them she had made a life for herself on Earth and was pissed that he wouldn't leave her there…

He was going to need to reorganize the entire hierarchy of hell. Find the demons who were loyal to put in charge, pick among them a few generals, as it were, to maintain order. And soon he'd have to start thinking about which of them could be trusted to stay in charge while he went to Earth, if an angel could not be found to take the throne.

For now he would rule and he would watch.

He'd been in Hell about a week before he allowed himself to let his thoughts stray towards Chloe again. By now she'd be asleep. Did she miss him yet? Would she want him back if she knew what he'd done since he got here? He felt the longing rise in him and retreated to his quarters for the first time since he'd come back.

He stepped into a private corner and just stood there, letting his feelings overtake him. He needed his piano only slightly less than he needed Chloe right now. Damn Hell and the way it broke the music. He closed his eyes and remembered the strains of a song he never thought he'd want to sing. Softly, he started singing to himself.

_Oh, my love, my darling_  
_I've hungered for your touch_  
_A long, lonely time_  
_Time goes by so slowly_  
_And time can do so much_  
_Are you still mine?_

_I need your love_  
_I need your love_  
_Dad speed your love to me_

_Lonely rivers flow_  
_To the sea, to the sea_  
_To the open arms of the sea_  
_Lonely rivers sigh_  
_"Wait for me, wait for me"_  
_I'll be coming home, wait for me_

Apparently, even his voice wasn't allowed to be a reliable instrument here, because it broke just then and he punched the wall in anger and flew out to roam high above his throne. That's when it happened. Just for a second he heard her voice call to him. The sound of his name on her lips ripped through his anger and when he looked in the direction it came from he could swear he saw her, her face buried in his pillow, in his bed.

"Chloe." He hardly recognized his own voice.

But she must have, because in his bed, he saw her snuggle into his pillow, a gentle smile settling in as she fell deeper into sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

She woke up, stretched, and called his name before she remembered. Then she groaned, inhaled his scent before getting up and making herself some coffee.

She wondered how long it had been for him already. It had been barely 12 hours for her and they seemed to stretch endlessly. As did all the time she'd wasted freaking out about whether she could trust him. Seriously, what was she thinking? All the time they could have spent together. All the grief and pain that they got dragged into with Eve and Pierce that never would have happened. The shameful episode where she tried to poison Lucifer. That month she'd been off freaking herself out even more. So much waste.

She finished her coffee and headed for the shower. She needed to speak to Amenadiel about praying. Or maybe Ella. Maybe if she checked in with Lucifer every day, just to remind him that she was still here, still waiting, still in love, it would help him get through what he had to do. She thought back to her childhood. Neither of her parents had been the strictly religious type, but she'd seen her father pray a few times. She tested the water, dropped her clothes into a pile on the floor, and got into the shower.

How had he done it? He was sitting, at the time, but she didn't think that would be a requirement. She should ask Amenadiel, but for now she would just assume that standing was ok. She bowed her head, shifting to keep the water from her face, and brought her hands together. Now what?

_Hi Lucifer_, she said, in her head. _Not sure if you can hear me. I have to check with Amenadiel on the details of this prayer business. I'm at the penthouse. Spent the night here. I think I'm going to be here all week. Dan is going to take Trixie, so I can take the time to deal. I miss you so much already. I love you._

She lifted her head, adjusted her position in the shower and couldn't help herself.

_Hello! Are those footholds? Anchor points? My, my…. What have you been doing in here? _

She continued to look around.

_Hope you don't mind if I use your shampoo and bodywash. Didn't really bring any toiletries with me._

It was when the smell of his body wash hit her that it all went downhill. She couldn't help herself. She moaned. Her eyes drifted shut and as she lathered up she found herself clinging to that smell, imagining what might happen if they were sharing the shower. Turning her back to him, handing him…

_Crap._ She cringed a little. Did he know what had just crossed her mind?

_Anyway, uh. Been thinking about all the time I wasted. And I wanted to say I'm sorry. If there's anyone in the world who should have been above suspicion, it's the guy that took 100 bullets for me, and sent himself to hell for my benefit. You deserved better. Better than my doubts and better than my almost betrayal. You deserved better than some scared creature who was still shying away from your touch a month after seeing the truth you never tried to hide._

_It's ironic, really. That day on the beach, you said you weren't worth it. But I think maybe I'm the one that doesn't deserve you. _

She sighed, rinsed off, and reached for a towel.

_But I'm going to keep you anyway._

oOo

He'd been right smack in the middle of disciplining a stray demon when her voice popped into his head.

"Hi, Lucifer" it said. It seemed that Chloe was praying to him. He dealt with the demon summarily, so he could turn his attention to her. Was she safe? Did she need his help?

"Not sure if you can hear me." He wanted to respond but knew she wouldn't be able to hear him anyway. She was probably safe. There didn't seem to be any urgency in her voice.

_Shut up and listen, you idiot_, he thought to himself._ Enjoy. How long has it been since you have been able to hear her voice?_

His eyebrow lifted when she said she was still at the penthouse and planned to be there all week. He felt himself choke a little as he heard her "I love you."

"My King?"

The demon's hesitant voice reminded him he was still standing there, with far too many eyes on him.

"Get back to work," he snarled, and flew up to sit on his throne, where he'd have some privacy.

"Are those footholds? Anchor points?"

The devilish grin that he hadn't been able to find since before he left her on that balcony plastered itself all over his face. _Why, indeed they are, Detective. I'll just show you when I get back, shall I?_

He was amused right up until he felt that moan vibrate through her prayer. Then fire filled his eyes and he was mostly thankful for the foresight to retreat to the solitude of his throne. He followed her thoughts, right up until she turned her back to him. Then his own thoughts helpfully reminded him of where one of the aforementioned footholds happened to be and how he might use it just then, if he could.

"Crap." He felt the let down hit him like a piano note badly out of tune. He sighed and kept listening. He felt a different sort of warmth settling with her apology. Concern, as she wondered if she deserved his love.

"But I'm going to keep you anyway." His devilish grin broke out again, and he decided it was time to start the selection process for his second in command.


	3. Chapter 3

Amenadiel made his way to Heaven early, intending to talk to at least 3 of his siblings before returning to help Linda with Charlie. He meant to start with Remiel. Aside from himself and Michael, Remiel was the sibling that came to mind as most suited to the task. He had Charlie and Michael… well, Michael was Michael.

He was still looking for his sister when Michael found him and struck up a conversation. And they were in the middle of this conversation when Michael suddenly seemed lost in thought. Amenadiel had seen that look before. He was listening to someone's prayer. Impatiently, Amenadiel waited. He was not on a social call. It was bad enough that Michael had interrupted his mission, but now he was expected to stand by while Michael handled his own private business.

Something about it felt wrong, though. There was a sort of smirk on his brother's face that he had learned to recognize millennia ago as an indicator that Michael was bending the rules. Still, he was here on a mission. He looked around, hoping one of the 3 angels he was here to see would come into his view. But then he thought he heard Lucifer's name mumbled with a snicker, and he turned to look at Michael again.

"Yes, brother? You have something to say about Lucifer?"

"You mean, Samael?"

"I mean Lucifer." Amenadiel used his most authoritative tone. Michael might outrank him, but he was still Amenadiel's younger brother, and he would not be allowed to forget that.

"Nothing at all." Amenadiel had lost all interest in whatever small talk Michael meant to waste his time with and turned to walk away.

"Tell that Detective that praying to demons is frowned on, will you?"

Amenadiel turned on a dime and turned his most ferocious look on Michael.

"What do you know about Chloe's prayers?"

Michael's arms went up in surrender. He said again "Nothing at all" and walked away.

It seemed he was going to have to ask a few unexpected questions while he was here. This was going to take longer than he thought.

oOo

Chloe was exactly where she'd been since coming out of the shower, putting on one of Lucifer's shirts, and grabbing some cookies from a cabinet. Sitting at the piano, staring at the keys without seeing them, her thoughts light years away.

She'd tried to contact Amenadiel to ask him about praying, and Linda had told her he was in Heaven, working on finding a sibling to help. According to the shadows falling across the carpet that had been… hours ago. She looked at the bedroom again, then at the balcony, then back to the keys. She wanted to be here. She just didn't know what to do with herself.

The ping of the elevator drew her attention and, when the doors opened, she was surprised to see Amenadiel standing there.

"Linda said you were looking for me."

"Yes, I wanted to ask you about praying to Lucifer. You know, the mechanics of it."

"Seems like you're doing alright."

Chloe's puzzled look made him add:

"There's something you should know. I think Michael is listening to your prayers to Lucifer."

Chloe blushed, thinking about her most recent prayer.

"Can he do that?"

"He's not supposed to. None of us are. But as it happens, it's sort of a special situation, because Lucifer closed himself to prayer when he was Samael and he fell. It was as if he left an open line that the others could pick up. I can't be sure, but I'm looking into it, with the help of some trusted siblings. If I'm right, Father will have some things to say about it and so will I. But in the meantime, just know he might be listening."

oOo

Chloe's thoughts were all over the place as she ate her dinner. So, it seemed there was trouble in Paradise. Michael was breaking the rules, other angels were investigating. Lucifer was still in Hell. If her prayers were getting to Michael did that mean they were getting to Lucifer, or that they were being somehow diverted away from him? Should she stop? But if she did, how would this investigation in Heaven proceed? And more importantly, if Lucifer could hear her, was it fair to cut off communication with him because his brother was acting out?

The answer to that was clearly a big, loud no.

So, she would continue. But maybe she should be more careful.

She took another bite, puzzling over what might happen if her very personal prayers to Lucifer were not as private as she thought. Michael might be provoked into slipping up and who knows what might happen in Heaven if word got out angels were eavesdropping. Could it shake things up and help with Amenadiel's mission?

Lucifer might not like it if Michael was listening in. Then again, nobody would accuse him of being prudish. The man had regular orgies until very recently, after all. But this was different. This was love. And this was Michael. Though she supposed if Lucifer was so all fired bothered by it, he could always come up to the penthouse and tell her so himself.

But what about Chloe? She was not thrilled about her private moments being intruded on, she knew that much. But now that she knew… what was she going to do about it? Censor herself, afraid of what some rogue angel might overhear? Not like she was going to brush elbows with him at the next social anyway. How embarrassing could it really be? And maybe Michael needed a bit of an attitude adjustment.

She cleaned the dishes and stepped out onto the balcony. She took a moment to enjoy the city lights and then brought her hands together and bowed her head.

_Hi, Lucifer. Me again. I'm on the balcony right now. Just spoke to Trixie on the phone. She misses you. I miss you._

In Hell, Lucifer retreated to his throne.

_I'm probably doing this prayer thing all wrong. I guess you're supposed to ask for something. I don't really need anything but you. I need you. Please come back, when you can. We miss you. I miss you._ She chuckled._ I may have mentioned it before. I love you. _

_Amenadiel went to Heaven today. He brought back a warning._

Lucifer sat up straighter, his attention suddenly sharply focused on what she would think next.

_It seems Michael may be listening in to my prayers. You know, like that annoying little brother who's not old enough to have a girlfriend yet, but really wants to learn how to kiss a girl. _

Lucifer's frown dissolved and he barked out a laugh at hearing his brother described in such terms.

_I guess I can't blame him. You really, really know how to kiss a girl._ She let the memory of the kisses they shared draw a moan from her. _Did I mention I need you? Right now I especially need some of your kisses. Please come home, Lucifer. Your bed is so very big and so very empty with just me in it. I know you can't come today, but please come._

_And meanwhile, maybe we can teach Michael a thing or two to make it worth incurring your father's wrath. I'll pray to you again in the morning. And at least once every morning and every evening until you're home. I love you. I need you._

And as Chloe walked away from the window wondering how you hang up on the prayer line, Lucifer enjoyed the first real laugh he'd had in decades.


	4. Chapter 4

Chloe overslept. She rushed through her morning routine and managed only the briefest of prayers before had to run to work. After all, she'd said every morning and every evening, and it would not do at all to start off on the wrong foot. So she put her hands together as he coffee brewed and kept praying as she grabbed her things on her way out the door.

_Hi, Lucifer. I overslept, so I'm afraid it's just a quick one this morning._ She chuckled._ Seems you rubbed off on me and I'll be taking over the inappropriate pun duties for the time being. No time for Michael's lessons this morning. What did you call him when you were young? Mike? Mick?Mikey? Anyway, I gotta get to work, but – I love you. I miss you. Please come back to me soon._

There was a ridiculous amount of work to do, and to make it worse it was wasted time. She knew what happened at the Mayan. She even knew what plausible explanation they were going to present to the public. But if they were going to make it stick, she still had to go through the motions of becoming familiar with the cause of death and background of each vic, as well as have a decent grasp of what witnesses and next of kin had to say. The sheer amount of time and resources being dumped into this effort was mind blowing. Everyone was involved. There were unis going to talk to families and following leads. The pile of reports on her desk was threatening to collapse and more reports were getting delivered by one or another of the officers involved only every 20 minutes or so. Ella's pile was just as bad.

She tried to look dedicated, invested in every piece of paper in front of her. She hoped everyone would attribute her sour mood to Lucifer's absence. It had only been a couple of nights since he'd left. His absence had barely raised an eyebrow yet. They probably thought he was just avoiding the paperwork. But soon they'd start asking questions. She had no idea what she would tell them.

After work, Chloe decided to run some errands. She picked up some groceries, chatted with Linda, went by Dan's to help Trixie with her homework and then returned to the penthouse.

It was a very late dinner, but she fixed one anyway. Her mind had been on Lucifer all day, and was still on Lucifer now, as she cooked in his kitchen, so she decided she might as well let him in on her internal chatter.

_Hi Lucifer._

In Hell, Lucifer was in the middle of presenting his new second in command to the demons. He hoped this was going to be another quickie (_AH! The king of inappropriate puns reigns supreme!_) because he really needed to do this right.

_It's been a hectic day. I'd fill you in on it, but Ella informs me she will be praying to you with a case update soon. She says briefing both of us is still her job, no matter where you are. I stopped by the store and grabbed some food. Not that there is much here you would recognize as food. Mostly packaged stuff, since Trixie is at Dan's. Doesn't seem worth the effort of really cooking for just me. _

Lucifer allowed himself to frown. That would not do at all. She worked too hard to live off junk, even for a few days. He looked around to the assembled demons, letting them see the disapproval in his face. They bowed lower, eager to please. Lucifer encouraged Vorzos to step up.

_Where do you keep the spatulas, anyway?_

While she was looking, Lucifer reminded the demons that Vorzos reported to him directly and often. He was to be obeyed without question whenever Lucifer himself was not present or there would be Hell to pay. And then he informed Vorzos that he would be in his quarters and left him to make an impression on the hordes.

_There they are! I wish you could tell me how things are going in Hell. How long has it been for you? How much trouble are the demons giving you? I can't believe it's only been a couple of days here._

She droned on about basically nothing as she cooked her packaged dinner, and then ate it on the balcony, still droning on. He should have been bored out of his mind, but he sat cross legged on the floor, as she was sitting on the balcony, and allowed himself to pretend they were sharing her meal, chatting about small everyday things, the way couples do.

But then she cleaned up. Her mental dialogue turned to picking out one of his pajama tops to wear to bed. Picking out a book to read in his bed, in his pjs. Propped up against his pillows, on his black silk sheets.

_I think it's time we work on some lessons for Mikey, Lucifer, don't you think? Tomorrow morning I'll be making pancakes. Not as good as yours, of course. I bought some pancake mix. And since they're not as good I'm going to load up on the syrup. And eat them in bed. Sure hope I don't make a giant mess on your lovely, expensive, silk sheets. Just letting you know right now, in case you want to come supervise… it would be a shame if you had to punish me later. Please hurry home. _

oOo

Azrael was waiting for Amenadiel when he returned from checking on Charlie.

"Is something wrong, sister?"

"There's been a bit of a development" she hesitated as Linda walked in "In that thing you asked me to help you look into."

"Michael?"

"Yes, and no." She sighed and gestured that he should sit.

"It's spreading. It's not just Michael anymore."

"What?" Amenadiel had barely sat down but he stood up again and started to pace. "Doesn't anyone up there care about the rules anymore? What is Father doing about this?"

Azrael's silence was answer enough.

"Tell me everything you know."

"It seems that Michael was listening in on a prayer and started acting funny. Angry, insulted. Sputtering, that kind of thing. It made some of the others wonder what he was listening to. So they joined in."

She sighed like it was about to get worse.

"They say Chloe said she was going to pray every morning and every evening until Lucifer returns. And it sounds like she may be planning to tease Michael about listening. So, basically - "

"They're all going to want to listen to what Chloe's saying to Michael." He finished for her. Then for Linda's benefit he explained. "Michael is... Well, let's just say nobody likes him. They will want to hear someone messing with him."

Linda nodded, understanding perfectly.

"He's kind of a dick, Chloe is likely to say some insulting things, so it's a feeding frenzy. They all want to hear him get dicked around for a change."

"Yeah, pretty much." Azrael agreed.

oOo

Linda didn't want to, but they'd asked until she agreed to talk to Chloe.

She'd kept it simple. Updated her on the Heaven situation. Explained her prayers were now on a bit of a party line. Suggested maybe it would be good to make them boring for a bit, so they'd stop listening and she and Lucifer could have some privacy again.

Reasonable Chloe seemed to have left the building, however. She listened. She listened with that calculating detective look, like she was examining every bit of information and figuring out where it fit and how it affected the whole picture.

"So, in short," she summed up, "Michael is a dick, Heaven is going to Hell and Amenadiel thinks I should censor my prayers to Lucifer for the benefit of a bunch of angels who have never done a damn thing for either of us?"

Linda could tell that Chloe was not exactly amenable to the idea, but she nodded.

Chloe nodded too, thoughtfully. In fact she put some time into finding the right words to compose her response. "You can tell Amenadiel that I said "Bite me". I will pray to Lucifer whenever I please, and I will say whatever I choose to, and if Amenadiel, Michael or god himself has a problem with that, they know where to find me."


	5. Chapter 5

Lucifer was making a big production of checking in with Vorzos. He got the routine updates on the running of the place, the souls arriving, the punishments and so forth. To be honest with himself, he was only half listening to that part. It reminded him of listening to the Detective droning on about the boring details of whatever case they were working on. He held back a yawn and signaled that Vorzos should hurry up and stick to the essential stuff he needed to be informed of. Vorzos wrapped it up and waited for instructions.

"Any signs of disobedience or rebellion to report?"

"Nothing that I can't handle, My Lord."

A demon snickered in the ranks, and Lucifer called him forward.

"Xakon. You forget your place. Don't worry, Vorzos will help you find it."

Lucifer assumed his place at the base of the throne, ready to endorse whatever punishment Vorzos chose to bestow. The demons needed to know they were a united front.

Which is why this was a really inconvenient time for Chloe's voice to distract him.

_Hi Lucifer. Just made myself some pancakes. Thought I'd start praying now as my hands are about to be full for a while. I believe congratulations are in order. I know you're not here right now, but I'll expect some sort of card when you return. You are now listening to Chloe Decker, god's little miracle, created to redefine the booty call. I would like to take a moment to thank Nosey Mickey. None of this would be possible without his contribution. _

He braced himself. He couldn't leave right now and laughing at Chloe's moniker for his brother would be entirely inappropriate just at this moment. He was going to have to ask her what she meant when they were together again.

_Drizzling some syrup on these now. This is very good syrup, I can tell by the way it flows. Ok… that should do it. Time for Mikey's lesson. Hope he's ready to take notes. Today, it's breakfast in bed._

_I should probably take off the pjs. Wouldn't want to accidentally ruin the sheets and the jammies. I mean, I'm trying to get punished here, not dumped. Am I presuming by seeing myself as your girlfriend? Anyway, I have to say I love the way the silk feels sliding off my arms._

He could see that Vorzos was saying something and looking to him for approval. He had no idea what he was being asked, nor did he care at the moment. It took all his concentration to keep his face free of the lust surging through his veins. He nodded._ Just do it, whatever it is, so I can go back to my chambers and enjoy this._ But it seemed Vorzos meant to take his time.

_It feels wicked, eating pancakes on your bed, naked. Not as wicked as if you were here, of course. Wish you were. Damn. I should have cut the pancakes. Turns out it's not easy to cut a piece off without tipping the plate and spilling syrup on yourself. Glad I took the jammies off. But I'm all sticky now. I'm going to enjoy this bite, but not as much as I'm going to enjoy imagining you leaning over me to lick that syrup off my cleavage. _

He couldn't help the way his eyes opened wider as her moan echoed through him. He could fell his body reacting in all sorts of ways. His muscles tensing, his heart rate and breath speeding up. He could explain all that away as anger, if he had to. Other reactions would be harder to explain. He focused whatever self-control he had left on keeping his face impassive and hoped everyone's attention remained firmly on Vorzos.

_It's running down across my ribs now._ She moaned as she took another bite, and allowed herself to slide down on the bed, imagine his tongue chase after that line of syrup._ I miss your tongue. It's so incredibly talented._ She allowed herself to remember what his tongue had done to her in their night together, got lost in the sensations and forgot to hold the plate balanced.

Through the haze of lust, Lucifer could see Vorzos finally move on the demon, lift him up by his neck and squeeze until it disappeared in a cloud of ash.

He swallowed convulsively, using whatever mojo he could muster to keep all the eyes that suddenly turned to him firmly on his face.

He croaked out a firm but unimaginative "Let that be a lesson to all of you," before turning to Vorzos and announcing "I see you have things in hand. I will be in my quarters."

_Ooops. Forgot all about that plate._ She sounded breathless even in her thoughts._ There's syrup all over my stomach and the sheets now. _

He got to his quarters in record time and shut himself up where he could have some privacy, just in case he had to take some things in hand himself.

_I guess I can still eat the pancakes off my stomach. Might as well use my fingers too, since I'm covered in syrup anyway. I'm going to be in so much trouble for this._ She chuckled. _Better watch what I do with my fingers too, now that they're all sticky._ She shifted again, imagined him moving closer, straddling her legs, leaning in to keep licking up the syrup. But now her sticky fingers started tracing lines on his back, his neck, his shoulders. She arched up with another moan, and Lucifer lost the last of his restraint.

She forgot all about the rest of the pancakes and fed the fantasy. Saw herself pull his head up for a hard kiss, arch into him to press syrup onto his chest, and then roll him over to straddle him and lick him clean. She breathed in his scent, still on the sheets, and imagined herself shifting on him, sitting up. His hands everywhere. She was beyond words, but in between images and moans she managed to articulate a few more.

_I need you. Please come back to me. Come back and punish me, please. Please, Lucifer._ She didn't even know what she meant anymore, as the memories fueled the heat and took over her body and her brain. _Please come, Lucifer. Please._

So he did.

oOo

Rae-Rae and Amenadiel were getting nowhere with finding Lucifer someone to watch Hell for a while. It seemed Heaven was too entertaining at the moment.

Amenadiel was hoping to change that if he could get Michael to stop prying. But Michael seemed to be nowhere. Was he hiding?

"Have you seen Michael?" He asked yet another sibling.

"Nosey Mikey? I don't think anyone's seen him since - " he stopped, as if suddenly remembering who he was talking to, and corrected himself. "No, I haven't. Maybe Father needed him."

Father. Yes, it was high time to take this conversation to Father's office, Amenadiel felt.


	6. Chapter 6

Lucifer had to admit, he quite liked, overall, this previously unseen side of his detective. Still, it didn't feel quite… natural. If there was one thing their association had taught him it was how to detect when Chloe was working an angle. He wasn't sure what the angle was, if it led home, or if she was simply toying with Michael because she could. But he was going to enjoy every second of this.

Since her last prayer, Lucifer had taken to spending more time away from the throne. Hell needed to come to rely on Vorzos first, to accept his leadership most of the time. He made himself scarce for a few hours every day, at first. Then entire afternoons. After a few weeks, we would not show himself for days at a time.

While he still felt it necessary to let Vorzos know where he would be, he spent this time in one of the various cells, usually the hell loop of one of the perps who had tried to hurt Chloe. Malcolm's was a popular choice, but his favorite was Cain's. In his loop he was still immortal. He went through days and days of trying to get close to Chloe and having Lucifer there to block his efforts at every turn. Of almost dying, but finding himself alive again, with his ticket to death hanging proudly on the devil's arm. Lucifer cherished any opportunity to see her that he could get, even if he knew this image of her wasn't real. He never stayed long enough to see Charlotte's death, but he came back often.

Then as he absented himself for longer periods of time, he stopped telling anyone where he was going. And in truth, he started just going to his quarters. It had been weeks in Hell time, which meant Chloe would be waking up soon, and praying again.

Lucifer would confess, under duress, to having long been confused by the image of the stunningly attractive girl sitting by the phone waiting for a call since he'd first seen it in a movie far too many years ago. He's told her to stop wasting her time and go out and find a date who would not keep her hanging. Yet he found himself waiting, just like she did. Maybe he owed the imaginary girl an apology.

It seemed like he'd been waiting for years when he felt his name raised in prayer. He wasn't sure how to feel when he realized it was Ms. Lopez's voice he was hearing, however.

_Hey, Lucifer. Sorry to pray this late. Or early, I guess. I haven't slept much. It's been intense with this Mayan case, ya know? We're getting ready to wrap, and we're all going to need a day off just to sleep. Speaking of, I need to brief you. So, we have 52 vics, with all kinds of CODs. Mostly they died of illness or accidents, at home or area hospitals. TOD is kinda impossible to figure out from the forensic evidence. It's like their bodies were refrigerated, so we know how and where somebody died from their medical records or family accounts, but the data would suggest TOD at the Mayan. You're probably bored already, aren't you? I can see you rolling your eyes from here._

Lucifer couldn't help a grin. Busted.

_So, anyway. The bits you'd want to know. The bullets in one perp are the same caliber as Chloe's service weapon but they also appeared to have been damaged in the collection process, somehow, so they are basically untraceable. We also found red high heeled shoes that don't seem to belong to anyone. No prints or blood traces or physical evidence of any kind that lead anywhere but the dead bodies._

_The official conclusion is that after the Vatican excommunicated him for the murders he was complicit in, Kinley became even more obsessed with the devil and demons, and somehow gathered all these dead bodies intending to raise demons to possess them to show the church he wasn't crazy. When it didn't work, his accomplices turned on him and they ended up killing each other in the fight. Close enough, I guess, right? Everyone's safe. I'm guessing that's really all you want to know, but if not, you can ask me whatever when you come back._

He was perfectly content to let the case rest as it was, but he appreciated the offer, in any case. He'd have to come by her lab and thank her for taking the time to make him feel like he was still part of the team, all things considered. The indulgent, friendly smiled he'd come to think of as his Ella smile was plastered all over it, as he waited for her to go on with her day.

_Listen, before I go. I owe you an apology. I shouldn't have dragged you to church. I didn't really know – _

She hesitated, trying to figure out how to be clear.

_I had always thought of church as a place of love and forgiveness, you know? Maybe I still do, in a way. I believe the people who go there go to share in both of those things. The more I think about it, the more I realize love can be toxic, and forgiveness is more complicated than absolution. I thought you needed more love in your life, and church was where the purest love there is lives, but you know what I've concluded in the last few days? _

He couldn't help himself. He was practically holding his breath. She had surprised him when he'd shown her his devil form, and he was both exhilarated and afraid to find out what new insight she was about to deliver.

_That the kind of love I was looking for doesn't include eternal damnation. It doesn't allow for the possibility of punishing someone for not loving you back. I know what that pure love looks like because I've been lucky enough to see it, Lucifer. It looks like 173 bloody feathers in the middle of a crime scene. It looks like coming to work every day and taking the time to make everyone feel special. Even the intern whose name you don't know. It looks like putting your faith in someone who doesn't believe what you say, even though you have never lied to them. It looks like stepping up to protect the people who were ready to betray you 3 days ago, and it looks like sacrificing everything you have, maybe even everything you are, for the sake of those people who have made you their scapegoat for millennia. Turns out the love I thought lived in that building looks a lot like you. _

He released the breath he'd been holding with a gasp, stunned into silence.

_Soo, now what? How do you end a prayer to the devil? Amen doesn't seem appropriate. Thank you? Over and out? Smell ya later? Yeah, I guess that'll do. Smell ya later, Lucifer._

oOo

Amenadiel walked up to office door with a determined step. Half a step away, as he prepared to announce his arrival, he heard his Father's voice directing him to enter. He was alone in the room.

"No, Michael is not here, and yes, I know what he's doing," God announced.

It never used to irritate him, the way his Father had of answering questions he hadn't been asked yet, but this time it did.

"Where is he, then?"

"Not here. But he will be." He raised his eyes to Amenadiel and beyond to where quite a few of his children were coming to witness the confrontation.

"Have a seat, Amenadiel."

In a sterner tone he added:

"The rest of you may come in and stand."

He gave them a moment to get into place and stood up.

"I have to say that I'm disappointed. I knew what you were doing but wanted to give you a chance to repent and redeem yourselves, and yet here we are. And here's Michael."

Everyone turned to watch Michael approach the door, and awkwardly he walked past all his assembled siblings and stood in front of them.

"What were you thinking?"

God held Michael's gaze for a second, then swept the room and asked again, louder.

"What were you thinking? Do the rules mean anything anymore?"

"Father - "

"Do NOT try my patience, Michael." He warned.

"Father, you gave permission to listen to Samael's prayers."

"And when did Samael's name cross Detective Decker's lips?"

"But, Father - "

"I SAID do NOT try my patience."

"What she's doing is not proper." He insisted, half under his breath.

"Proper? You want to talk about propriety? It's true that I did not miracle Chloe Decker into existence to find new ways to violate the holiness of prayer, but she is not defying a rule that has been made clear to her since she was brought into existence. We can discuss the propriety of her actions when it's her turn to be judged. Now let's discuss the impropriety of yours."

He turned, prepared to pace and deliver a scalding speech dripping with rebuke. But as he began to speak he noticed several of his children suddenly shift their attention away from him, and then back. He turned to Michael, anger building as he'd known it would. Michael's attention was no longer on him. With a signal to his children to stop, God waited, his arms crossed in front of him, as if to keep his anger in check. Nosey Mikey had forgotten himself so far as to not only tune out God himself, but also stand in his presence looking increasingly agitated by what he was listening to. When he started to sputter, God finally had enough.

"Michael!" he called.

And when even that didn't draw his attention back, he called again, louder.

"MICHAEL!"

He waited for his son's eyes to focus on him again before he moved closer.

"You DARE to defy me in my very presence? While we are in the act of discussing your disobedience?"

Michael mumbled something about how it wasn't even Chloe, but God didn't even stop talking long enough to hear him.

"What's wrong with you? I'm not interested in loopholes or technicalities. You know the rules. You chose to disobey them, and then defy me when I attempted to correct your misbehavior. Very well. You have made your choice, now I will make mine."

He waved dismissively to the others and announced.

"You are restricted to your room whenever not in fulfillment of your duties until I send for you. If you chose to act like naughty children, you will be treated like naughty children. You are grounded."

To Michael he said:

"You will stand there while I decide what form your punishment will take."

And then to Amenadiel.

"I know you have tried to explain to Chloe the impropriety of her prayers."

"And her exact words were "Bite me." She is not interested in what we think is proper right now."

God nodded, pondering.

"Yes. Every morning and every evening until he returns to Earth, I believe she said." He thought about it for a moment, then added. "If we do not find a way to stop her, I'm not sure your siblings can be relied on to stop intruding."

Amenadiel nodded, and excused himself to care for Charlie, leaving his father to determine Michael's fate.


	7. Chapter 7

Chloe woke up before her alarm and plodded to the bathroom mirror. She would have a massive case of bed head, of course. She had gone to sleep almost immediately after showering away the traces of her syrupy extravaganza the night before. As the lead detective in the Mayan case she would be expected to speak to the media today, when they announced their conclusions. But that was later.

It wasn't until after her first cup of coffee that she finally turned her eyes to the clock. She had a whole hour before getting ready for work. What could she do to escalate today?

She didn't really want to get messy again. Maybe a little kink, since she had asked Lucifer to come punish her. Although, she really wasn't sure what she could do by herself in this scenario. She could at least explore and hint at doing all kinds of things later. Her eyes opened wider as inspiration struck that she could also hint at bringing in Maze tonight to punish her since Lucifer hadn't come back. A demon getting involved in this prayer to the devil business should make some waves in Heaven, right? She would text Maze. It was way out of her comfort zone to actually get kinky with Maze, but she was not above asking the demon to help her pretend to.

She took her coffee cup with her back to the bedroom. It was time to pray.

_Hi Lucifer_. She sighed, dramatically. _I'm a bit disappointed you didn't come to deliver my punishment. I guess I'm going to have to punish myself. I'm sure you have something I could somewhere around here._

Lucifer had been stretched out in his quarters, torn between continuing to think about what Ella had said and going to check in with Vorzos. It had been about a day in Hell, but it felt paradoxically as if it had been 20 minutes since Ella spoke to him and 20 years since he'd been waiting for Chloe to.

He shifted, made himself more comfortable, as he wished he could tell her where his toy stash was. He had basically everything, of course. But he hadn't really considered the detective might be interested in kink. And since their relationship had turned in that direction, they hadn't exactly had much time. He waited as she went through his closets until she found an assortment of tools. A riding crop immediately caught her eye.

_Did I ever tell you I am quite an accomplished rider? I had lessons back in my hot tub days. I even learned how to ride without any tack at all, just gripping the mane in my hands and using my thighs to stay mounted. I never rode a stallion though. I wanted to, but they decided it was too dangerous._

_I found the crop, and I would bet you have all the tack, somewhere. I wonder if you have some orgy pants that would fit me. I can think of a stallion I would very much like to take for a hard ride._

He felt his body rise to the promise of those words and made a mental note to buy all of the riding gear to Chloe's specifications. He would have it embossed with whatever identifier she liked too. He would give her all the hard rides her naughty heart desired. Or whatever kind of ride suited her fancy.

She flicked the riding crop, tapping her thigh smartly and gasped.

_I suppose this will do. Though I imagine it would be a lot more satisfying if someone else was holding the crop. Don't suppose you can make it home for dinner?_

He sighed, longing filling him at the thought.

_No problem, I happen to know Hell's greatest torturer. I bet Maze would come deliver a bit of punishment in your place, if she's in town._

They both knew Maze was in town. So, she was tipping him. Working that angle, wanting him to know it.

_I should text her. Why don't think about how you want to decorate your stable while I try to reach Maze? And for anyone else who might be listening in…_

Her voice trailed off into a sing songy imitation of a hold message.

_Please hold, Nosey Mikey. Your eavesdropping is very important to us. Please stay on the line and the next available demon will be right with you._

It seemed that right now her angle was keeping Michael hanging and fuming at the idea of a demon being brought into this.

He chuckled, dutifully spent some time imagining himself eating a carrot or a sugar cube off Chloe's hand inside a stable of sorts, and once it became apparent she wasn't going to return to her prayer at the moment, went to check in with Vorzos.

oOo

Michael stood without moving, awaiting god's decision. His father was taking his time, as if waiting for something. When Chloe's prayer rang out in his head, he meant to tune it out immediately, truly he did. But he was so bored. He kept his face impassive and hesitated a second too long.

As soon as she mentioned demons, he couldn't help himself. He caught his breath. God looked up, as if this is what he'd been waiting for.

"It seems I wasted our time for no good reason."

"She's going to bring a demon into this!" he gambled. Maybe if he could redirect some of his father's anger, he would forget he had been disobeyed again.

God shook his head, stood up and faced his son.

"I have made a decision."

Michael assumed an appropriately contrite position.

"Until further notice, you are assigned to Hell, to hold your brother's place on the throne."

He felt Michael's indignation, so he continued, his voice assuming the somber tone of command.

"You are NOT the new King. Your brother continues to hold that title and you will seek out and accept direction from him. You are his subordinate, Michael, and subject to his judgment. Perhaps he can teach you the lesson I could not. You will report to Hell immediately. You may tell him to go see to his prayers."

"But Father…"

But god was done being questioned by this particular son.

"You can fly, Michael, or you can fall. Your choice."

oOo

It felt as if all of Hell was breaking loose, but Lucifer knew that was not in fact possible. He looked for the source of the disturbance, and found Vorzos and his generals already gathering in that direction. He joined them, directed them to wait and keep the demons under control, and flew towards the ball of fire descending towards his throne.

If he didn't know any better, he would swear this was an angel making as splashy an entrance as he could muster. It was too slow and controlled for a fall. But he couldn't for the life of him imagine who might be coming to visit him, or why they would be trying to make an entrance. Amenadiel and Azrael were the only ones who ever came here, and they never did anything like this.

He flew into place, between the throne and the visitor, waiting. As soon as the angel came close enough for Lucifer to discern who it was, however, he knew he had to sit down, or he was going to end up ungraciously landing among the demons in his shock.

He signaled for everyone to stand down and sat on his throne to wait for Michael to approach.

"What do you want, Nosey Mikey?" he growled.

Michael bowed his head slightly in acknowledgment of his brother's position.

"Father has sent me to hold the throne for you until further notice. I am to report to you and - "

Lucifer's frown turned to incredulity as he sat up straighter and leaned forward, puzzled by what his father intended, and why Michael would be so hesitant.

"Seek out and follow your direction. I am to be your subordinate. Temporarily."

"Until further notice, you said?"

"Yes."

"But why?" It seemed too good to be true, and in Lucifer's experience, if it seemed that way, it most certainly was.

Michael looked exasperated for a moment, knowing the devil was well aware of his eavesdropping and perfectly capable of determining this was his punishment. Why make him say it?

"I cannot speculate about Father's reasons." He edged. And then, hoping the reminder would put an end to this conversation, "He said you should see to your prayers."

Lucifer allowed himself to believe he was (however temporarily) free to go home. He flew down to where Vorzos and the demons waited and blurted out.

"There is an emergency on Earth that requires my attention. My brother will hold the throne while I'm away. He's not your new King. You are still required to follow my rules. Vorzos, I will expect you to report to my brother and follow his lead. Tell him how things work. And also make sure you report to me if he breaks the rules. You can send a message through Azrael if the need arises."

And almost before Vorzos could nod his understanding, he was gone.


	8. Chapter 8

He stopped at the beach first. He was so wound up that he needed a moment to breathe fresh air, find his self-control. When he finally landed on his balcony, she had left for work. He turned the TV on, poured himself a drink, wanting to experience as much normalcy as he could for a minute. Find his way back to the Lucifer Morningstar they all remembered from a few days ago.

He tossed back his drink, then poured another and tossed that one too. Slowly, he turned around, enjoying the sight of all his favorite drinks, his sound system, the spot where he'd sat with the detective on his lap. He wanted to sit at the piano but he wasn't ready. He wanted to do so many things he didn't know where to start.

He reached for where his flask would normally be, felt the scum and dirt of Hell on his clothes and decided the place to start was the shower.

After he'd showered and generally restored his physical appearance to its former glory, he slipped into his favorite suit and finally allowed himself to sit at the piano. His fingers fell into some of his old favorites automatically, one after another. Each song lifting some of the weight of Hell from his shoulders. Somehow his fingers led him to "Heart and Soul", and when he heard it, the urgent need to get to Chloe flooded his senses again.

He stood up, found his phone, his car keys, his wallet, checked that he still looked his best. He was filling up his flask before leaving for the precinct, when he heard her voice coming from the TV. She was making a statement about the Mayan situation. He froze in place, listening, taking her in until the camera moved away from her and broke the spell. Then he got into the elevator and headed for his car.

oOo

The place was almost empty when he walked in, and beyond a friendly smile and a nod here and there, his arrival went largely unnoticed. He made his way down the steps, trying to keep his pace sedate, measured. At the bottom, he looked around. Detective Douche wasn't at his desk, and neither was Chloe. He went into the lab, wondering if maybe Ella at least would be here to welcome him back.

He took two steps in and was about to break into a slightly put out sigh when he felt two arms grip him and his ears were assaulted by a loud squeal.

"Ms. Lopez, lovely to see you again." He indulged her for a minute, then wiggled loose. Turning to face her, he couldn't help the indulgent big brother smile that broke all over his face. She was off like a shot.

"I missed you. Everyone missed you. Well, everyone who knew you were gone. We didn't really tell anyone much, what with the Mayan case and everything. Most of them probably thought you were just home with the flu or trying to avoid the paperwork or something. But they'd have totally missed you if they knew."

When she had to stop for breath, he took advantage of the opportunity to distract her.

"I missed you too. Even the rambling. Thank you for praying to me with an update. That was very kind of you."

Ella's cheery smile turned a bit sheepish, and then she was off again.

"Have you seen Chloe yet? She was at a press conference downtown, but she should be back soon. Unless she stops for food or something. What time is it? I'm sure it's only been like 25 minutes since she was on TV."

He smiled indulgently again and gave up trying to contain the tide. And in any case, it wasn't necessary because just then Chloe Jane Decker did come in. She went straight to her desk.

"Now, Ms. Lopez, if you could be so kind as to allow me to borrow your lab for a few minutes."

"Yes, of course. Chloe's gonna freak when she sees you." Her smile was absolutely delighted by this prospect. Though she clearly wanted to be there for the reunion, she closed some of the shutters and continued:

"You should have some privacy. I'll ask her to come in here for a minute and then I'll just…" she waved vaguely towards the door to indicate she'd make herself scarce.

"That would be wonderful, thank you." He made a mental note to have some flowers delivered for Ella, and stepped back as Ella slipped out, and returned with Chloe.

"Okay, where is it?"

She heard the door close gently behind her and began to turn with a confused sigh when she suddenly saw him. She considered for a moment that maybe she was hallucinating. All the stress of this case, and this prayer business were taking a toll. But then Ella had brought her here under false pretenses. And then she heard his voice and the force of her relief made her knees shake. She should thank Ella for closing the shutters.

"Detective?" He asked again, as if unsure of his welcome.

She took a deep breath, reminded herself it had only been a few days. She would not make a fool of herself by launching a crying ninny into his arms. Her resolve lasted all of 2 steps before she flung herself at him and held on.

"Lucifer," she whispered as his arms closed around her. She was afraid to believe it, but that was his scent, his body felt solid enough. This time when she said his name again it was with a half laugh, half squeal of delight. She pulled him closer, her hand going to his neck to draw him in for a kiss. And then when she could manage more: "You're back. Are you back? Are you staying?"

He managed to choke out a yes, before diving into another breathless kiss.

It was several kisses later when a knock at the door brought them back to the real world. Ella walked in after a moment to let them know the new Lieutenant wanted to see everyone.

Lucifer stood up straighter and disentangled himself from Chloe. With his most devilish smile he adjusted his cufflinks, then smoothed his coat.

"It's time, then."

"Time?" Chloe asked, confused. "Time for what?"

"Why, time to begin your punishment, of course."

And he led them from the room and to the Lieutenant's office.


	9. Chapter 9

The lieutenant had called them in to thank everyone for their hard work on the Mayan case and debrief. It was a mercifully short meeting. He had interrupted, in that way he had that never netted him consequences, three times. Once to talk about how hungry he was, once to announce he was craving pancakes, and one last time to express his delight at how thoroughly he'd been missed while he was out of town on family business.

After the meeting, Chloe went back to her desk to deal with the paperwork still stacked chin high by her phone. He sat in his usual chair, just looking at her. Or more accurately, looking at her as if she was a tray of his favorite delicacies that he just couldn't wait to sink his teeth into.

"I could use a little help here," she hinted, hoping he'd go in search of someone who needed help (not with paperwork) or at least focus his attention on something other than herself for a minute. But he only smiled wider, and more deviously, scooted closer to her, and found ways to "accidentally" brush her hand or her arm every few seconds as he reached for another paper.

After a few minutes of assistance, she noticed 3 separate people staring. Maybe paperwork was a bad idea. She glanced at Ella, who was also staring. Sensing that Chloe was feeling a bit hounded, Ella emerged from the lab and asked Chloe to retrieve something from the evidence room. She was relieved to have a reason to get away from all those eyes for a moment, right up until she heard his footsteps following her through the door, and the door lock behind him.

"Do you know," he started, casually, "that I was in the middle of disciplining a demon when you first prayed to me?"

"Were… you?" she hesitated. She hadn't really thought about what her prayers might be interrupting.

"And in the middle of a very important ceremony of sorts when you found the riding crop."

She blushed that time and was grateful that in the room's poor lighting he probably couldn't see it.

"I'm sorry." She wasn't, but it seemed like the right thing to say.

"I had to use my mojo to keep everyone's eyes on my face. I waited alone in my quarters like a lovesick fool for the next time you would pray." He seemed mostly fascinated by the whole thing.

She wanted to be regretful, but mostly she was just amused. She saw the amusement in his eyes.

"Dad sent Nosey Mikey to hold my place until further notice. He's to report to me and follow my directions. Well played, Detective."

They shared a chuckle and she started to say something, but before she could she found him advancing on her.

"In recognition of your accomplishment, I am prepared to be lenient in your punishment." He backed her up against the wall, bracing his hands on the walls behind her and leaned in to whisper into her ear.

"Just say orgy pants when you've had enough.'

He gave her a moment to think about it, brushed his lips ever so softly against her cheek, and when her eyes focused again, she was alone in the room.

Well, then. That was the game. She was ready to play.

oOo

They somehow got through the paperwork just in time for lunch. Chloe insisted that since he'd been craving pancakes, they should go to Ihop. He talked about the stallion he'd let her ride, about having tack made to her specific requirements, and the relative benefits of this or that kind of leather as well as the likelihood that he could find it in the exact color of her eyes.

When they went back to the office, he told everyone who would stop to hear him what an accomplished rider she was. He promised Ella she could come visit his ranch someday. He told Detective Douche he should have taken her for a few wild rides while they were married.

She dragged him into an interrogation room intending to berate him for teasing her in front of the others, but ended up kissing him instead, and finding herself pushed against the door, lifted just high enough for him to grind ever so gently against. And then he was letting her slide down, asking her if she had something to say. And when she smiled and shook her head, he nibbled gently on her lip and lifted her up again for more kisses.

When the Lieutenant came to the top of the stairs and told everyone to go home early, they didn't look at each other. They gathered their things, walked out to their separate cars without saying a word.

Lucifer was waiting in the garage when Chloe's car pulled up, and still without looking directly at each other they got into the elevator together. It was early and there was nobody around. They went up to the penthouse, tension rising as the lift carried them up.

"Did I ever tell you I had a dream about you, right after that kiss on the beach?"

He raised his brow and turned slightly towards her.

"I don't believe so. Do tell."

She studied her shoes casually.

"We were in the elevator, arriving at the penthouse, as we're about to do. Doors opened, and…"

She trailed off, wanting him to ask.

"Yes? And what?"

She waited for the doors to open and continued.

"We kissed. Passionately. Like this." She helpfully demonstrated.

"I see," he caught his breath then nudged. "Did we do… anything else?"

She nodded, with her best innocent look firmly in place.

"We staggered around a bit, still lip locked, shedding coats, and you lifted me up onto the piano."

"Like this?" He played along, and when their coats were on the floor and she was sitting on the piano with his body pressed against her and still looking the very picture of innocence and nodding, he asked:

"Then what?"

"You carried me over to the sofa, and sat with me on your lap, working on getting your shirt off."

"This is a fascinating dream." He carried her to the sofa, wondering how she managed to look so wanton and so pure at the same time.

"This is when you looked at me with your best devilish grin and asked if I was sure."

"And what did you say?"

She chuckled, pushing his shirt off his shoulders, arching into his bare chest.

"I'll tell you what I _didn't_ say."

She nibbled his earlobe and whispered "Orgy pants. I definitely did not say orgy - "

Before she could finish the sentence, she found herself on the bed, barely restrained energy radiating from him.

"Are you sure?"

"Shut up."

And she pulled him in again to make sure, this time, he would.


End file.
